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CHAIRMAN:

Paul L. Ziemer, Ph.D.
Lafayette, Indiana

MEMBERS:

Josie Beach
Richland, Washington

Bradley P. Clawson
Rexburg, Idaho

Michael H. Gibson
Franklin, Ohio

Mark A. Griffon
Salem, New Hampshire

James E. Lockey, M.D.
Cincinnati, Ohio

James M. Melius, M.D., Ph.D.
Albany, New York

Wanda |. Munn
Richland, Washington

John W. Poston, Sr., Ph.D.
College Station, Texas

Robert W. Presley
‘Seymour, Tennessee

Genevieve S. Roessler, Ph.D.
Elysian, Minnesota

Phillip Schofield
Bosque Farm, New Mexico

STAFF:

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY:

Theodore M. Katz, MPA
Atlanta, Georgia

COMMITTEE MANAGEMENT :

Zaida Burgos
Atlanta, Georgia

ADVISORY BOARD ON RADIATION AND WORKER HEALTH
4676 Columbia Parkway, MS: C-46
Cincinnati, Ohio 45226
(513) 533-6825

December 18, 2008

The Honorable Michael O. Leavitt
Secretary of Health and Human Services
Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201

Dear Mr. Secretary:

The Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health (The Board) has
evaluated Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) Petition 0134 concerning workers
at Vitro Manufacturing, Canonsburg, PA, under the statutory requirements
established by the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation
Program Act (EEOICPA) and incorporated into 42 CFR Sec. 83.14. The
Board respectfully recommends Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) status be
accorded to all AWE employees who worked at the Vitro Manufacturing
facility in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, from August 13, 1942 through
December 31, 1957, for a number of work days aggregating at least 250
work days, occurring either solely under this employment or in combination
with work days within the parameters established for one or more other
classes of employees in the Special Exposure Cohort.

The Board notes that although the National Institute for Occupational Safety
and Health (NIOSH) found that they were unable to completely reconstruct
radiation doses for these employees, they believe that they are able to
reconstruct portions of the external and internal radiation doses and the
occupational medical dose.

This recommendation is based on the following factors:

e The Vitro Manufacturing facility was involved in early uranium processing
work for the manufacture of atomic weapons.

e NIOSH was unable to locate sufficient monitoring data or information on
radiological operations at this facility in order to be able to complete
accurate individual dose reconstructions for the potential internal
exposures to uranium, and uranium progeny to which these workers may
have been subjected. The Board concurs with this conclusion.

e NIOSH determined that health may have been endangered for the
workers exposed to radiation at this facility during the time period in
question. The Board concurs with this determination.


The Honorable Michael O. Leavitt December 18, 2008

Based on these considerations, and on the discussions and deliberations at our December 17,
2008 Board meeting, the Board recommends that this Special Exposure Cohort petition be granted.

Enclosed is supporting documentation from the recent Advisory Board Meeting held in Augusta,
Georgia, where this Special Exposure Cohort class was discussed. The documentation includes
transcripts of the deliberations, copies of the petition, and the NIOSH review thereof, and related
documents distributed by NIOSH. If any of these items are unavailable at this time, they will follow
shortly.

Sincerely,

Paul L. Ziemer, Ph.D.
Chair

Enclosure

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